Olympic Disappointment Hangs Over Capitals’ Practice

Alex Ovechkin, left, and Nicklas Backstrom returned to Capitals practice after experiencing disappointment in Sochi.

Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS and ALLAN KREDA

February 25, 2014

The Washington Capitals held their first post-Olympics practice Tuesday, a session overshadowed by residue from the Winter Games even as they tried to focus on the resumption of their N.H.L. schedule.

Alex Ovechkin was one of the faces of Sochi, bent on winning the gold on home ice. Instead, the Russians were eliminated in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive Olympics.

“First of all, I want to say sorry to the fans,” Ovechkin said. “Because it’s once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent your country in the Olympics, and you didn’t get the results, you didn’t get any medal. Of course the fans, the media and the people who support Russia, family, was upset, but life goes on.”

Ovechkin took the Olympic disappointment especially hard four years ago, but this time he had to immediately turn his attention to his family. His father, who has a history of heart problems, became ill after one of his son’s games and required surgery. Ovechkin was not told until three days later, after Russia had been eliminated.

“Soon as I found out that he’s in hospital and he’s feeling not that good and he could be dying, I just forget the game that we lose against Finland,” he said. “Just go there and spend time with him and saw him. It was great feelings to see what’s happening and how he’s feeling.”

Ovechkin, 28, said he understood the criticism he received for his play during the Olympics — “I didn’t score lots of goals out there” — but he appeared ready to refocus on the Capitals, who resume play Thursday at Florida.

The lingering Olympic sting was more evident on the face of Nicklas Backstrom, who helped lead Sweden to the gold medal game but was pulled from the lineup shortly before the face-off because he had failed a doping test. Without one of its top players, Sweden lost, 3-0, to Canada.

“I’ve had allergies for seven years, since I got here,” Backstrom said. “Everyone that lives in the Washington area knows how bad it is here. I’ve been taking Zyrtec-D for the last seven years and I haven’t been doing anything differently. I’ve been playing internationally, in the world championships, Olympics before, and so I haven’t done anything differently.”

An ingredient in the allergy medicine is on the list of banned substances for Olympic competition, but Backstrom said he was told by the Swedish team doctor that he could take one pill a day without triggering a positive test.

Backstrom said he expected a two-week wait to find out whether he would be awarded his silver medal, which is being held at the International Ice Hockey Federation offices in Zurich.

TAVARES WON’T NEED SURGERY The Islanders captain John Tavares said he would not require surgery on his injured left knee, even though he will be sidelined for the rest of the regular season.

Tavares, a 23-year-old center who leads the Islanders with 66 points, said he would need 8 to 12 weeks of rehabilitation for a partly torn medial collateral ligament before he can resume his off-season regimen.

ALLAN KREDA

WEARY RANGERS Rangers Coach Alain Vigneault announced that Cam Talbot would start in goal against Chicago on Thursday, the team’s first game after the Olympic break. At the Sochi Games, Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers’ regular goaltender, started all six games for Sweden.

Lundqvist, Carl Hagelin, Rick Nash, Ryan McDonagh, Ryan Callahan and Derek Stepan, whose teams all advanced to the final days of the Olympic tournament, returned to the Rangers on Tuesday but did not practice. (NYT)

SABRES 3, HURRICANES 2 Christian Ehrhoff scored twice, including the go-ahead goal with 44 seconds left, in lifting the Sabres to a win in Buffalo over the Carolina Hurricanes in the N.H.L.’s first game after its Olympic break. Ryan Miller played a key role in stopping the first 20 shots he faced and 36 overall in what might be the star goalie’s final game in Buffalo before the league’s trade deadline on March 5. (AP)

PENGUINS’ MARTIN SIDELINED Pittsburgh Coach Dan Bylsma said defenseman Paul Martin would miss four to six weeks with a broken hand he sustained at the Olympics. (NYT)